NEW INTERVIEW SERIES

_DRAW YOUR FUTURE_

_What's Your Story ? _

A series of interviews and visual workshops to help us chart our post-pandemic lives.

“We are all in the same storm -

but on different boats.”

Damian Barr

The Great Depression permanently altered society and people's behavior - and so will COVID19.

We are all part of the biggest societal experiment that none of us has signed up for.

While there are undeniable challenges, it might also be an unprecedented chance for reinvention.

But the divide between those who thrive and those who dive might be significant.

What do we want our personal 'New State of Normal' to be?
After being crisis-tested - is our current personal and professional life future-proof?
What (new) options do we have and what choices will we have to make?
And above all: who do we want to be with if crisis strikes again?

For many of us it is back to the drawing board .... that's why we are creating

'The DRAW YOUR FUTURE LAB.'

What?

Part 'Dr. Phil', part 'Shark Tank' - DRAW YOUR FUTURE is a series of interviews and virtual workshops, and ultimately a book, to help people literally draw their post-pandemic life story.

We ask musicians, researchers, doctors, chefs, teachers, journalists, producers, actors, politicians, psychologists ... how this moment of global pause (and pain) has changed their personal and professional lives. While a lot of what you see on TV is politics, we want to dive into the personal side of the pandemic. What we are looking for are the local stories of compassion around the world that sit underneath all the madness.

We ask young and old, across countries, cultures and careers and assemble their memories into a collective puzzle of our bizarre 'New States of Normal'. What and who matters most for us now ? How, where and with whom do we want to live and work in the future?

Ultimately, we compile all the lessons learned into an illustrated book full of anecdotes and exercises to draw your future. Think of it as a choose-your-own-adventure style colouring book for young and old.

'DRAW YOUR FUTURE' is the brainchild of friends Heather (Visual Artist & Leadership Coach from Brooklyn) & Romy (Journalist & Producer from Berlin) who met 10 years ago in an old castle on the outskirts of Berlin. When the pandemic hit they took to ZOOM (and a lot of post-it notes) to collect lock-down stories happening around them in Brooklyn & Berlin and anywhere between and beyond. Ultimately, they decided to make it into a book with the help of many friends. Thank You All!

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2. WHY ARE we DOING IT?

Why?

"We are like islands in the sea, separate on the surface but connected in the deep."

William James

-> 1. OUR PERSONAL FUTURE

(The 'Dr. Phil' Part ...)

Relationship inventory. If the pandemic has proven one thing amidst all uncertainty it is the importance of community and compassion. The innate human desire for meaningful connections is ever more important - yet more difficult.

While the entire world seems just a ZOOM call away - how can we be truly socially connected while physically apart?
Who are the people that matter to us most now, personally and professionally?
Who do we want in our inner circle? Who would we want to 'shelter in place with' - and where?

Multi-generational and multi-cultural learning. There is much we can learn about resilience from our grandparents and those who have lived through wars or natural disasters and overcome personal hardship or setbacks. The worldwide feeling of discomfort and loss of normalcy has actually been compared to a state of collective grief.

What life lessons can we adapt from those who have lived through loss?
What advice can we give to the young who might have been robbed of their Plan-A-Career-Path and are faced with an uncharted career future?
How can we keep the less tech-affin elderly connected who are partly confined to isolation - and what can we learn from their decades of life experience?

Crisis reveals character. Almost all medals and recognition are based on how we respond in crisis and under fire. We may have been tested ourselves and gotten to know new sides on others that would have never been revealed under normal circumstances.

What did we learn about ourselves?
What did we miss, what did we fear, what did we enjoy?
What is our (new) value system?
Does our code of character need to be re-framed?

"Entrepreneurship is jumping off a cliff and buildING the plane on the way down."

Reid Hoffman

-> 2. OUR PROFESSIONAL FUTURE

(The 'Shark-Tank' Part ...)

The ripple effects of the pandemic will be felt long after the lock-downs have been lifted.

Artists, event planners, restaurateurs, hoteliers, cinema & theater owners, travel guides, athletes and architects ... most small business owners or self-employed professionals have to rethink and reshape their business. Large scale music, sports and business events will not return for a long time and have to move to some degree online. It is anticipated that up to 80% of our work life will remain remote. People are moving out of the cities and are creating their new work-and-live-from-home cocoons.

What do these fundamental changes mean for us professionally and personally?
How and where do we want to work and live?
Is our current job sustainable?
How will we make money in the future?

Speed matters. Readiness is imperative. Some jobs might be wiped out forever, while some industries will be accelerated by a decade in a number of weeks. "It may seem like a terrible moment now to be an entrepreneur - but in 12-15 months it will be an ideal time to partner with people and take advantage of the surge in the economy," predicts Scott Galloway. He suggests that while others are paralyzed by fear and uncertainty the time is now to leap ahead.

Are we prepared to size that moment when opportunity strikes?

How?

3. HOW DOES IT WORK?

"DIALOGUE IS MORE THAN TALK,

IT IS THE ART OF THINKING TOGETHER"

Walter Isaacson

STEP 1: INTERVIEWS

Step 1: The Workshops

Starting with expert interviews to get a lay of the land, we follow up with themed workshops from food to music, film/tv, art, politics, education, travel, sports and relationships in times of the pandemic.

We take a deep dive into the personal stories of changes and challenges people worldwide have been confronted with - and what they hope for the future.

Mixing generations, cultures and career backgrounds we deliberately take people out of their bubble

and match-make participants around topics.

With interactive exercises and visual storytelling and live graphic recording we take ZOOM calls to the next level and bring structure, fun and play to digital conversations.